Christmas activities

First, it was very different to be in Guatemala and far away from family and friends for Christmas. At times it felted like a mountain that I could not climb and I did not climb alone. Jesus picked me up and took me to the top. What joy to experience His strenght. Thank you Jesus.

Got to skype with Kevin and family this morning and it was really hard not to be able to reach out cuddle our newest little granddaughter. But it is so good to be able to see all of them and talk with them. Braden read us a book the last time and it was so special. Thanks Braden. They were just taking it easy today.It was still cold there after the snow on Christmas.

Got to visit with Joy on facebook this morning and she really encouraged me. What a blessing our children are! Planning to make appointment with Savannah and Caleb on Skype!!!

Today in San Juan there was a festival called dancing in the street and it was just that. Like a parade but everyone was dancing. it is 7:00 now and it sounds like it might be a really loud night with music.

"As we have a high old time this Christmas, may we who know Christ hear the cry of the damned as they hurtle headlong into the Christless night without ever a chance. May we be moved with compassion as our Lord was. May we shed tears of repentance for these we have failed to bring out of darkness. Beyond the smiling sc...enes of Bethlehem may we see the crushing agony of Golgotha." - Nate Saint

In class today I had to tell a story from bible and then explain it and then answer questions that my peers and the teachers ask.....In spanish. I want so much to be able to tell about my Lord in the peoples heart language. Today I talked about the cost of following Jesus. Luke 9:57-62

A Guatemalean

It has been awhile so I will try to catch up. Last Saturday morning a missionary couple from Chemalnatengo came went to capital and got a van so we would all fit and came to San Juan and picked all 10 of us up and took us to their home and we were served chili and lots of deserts and had great fellowship. David and Glynis Miller were a wonderful blessing to us. On Saturday evening we brought all of the younger folks back to Antigua and Rocky and I stayed the night with the Millers and went to church with them and we had a great time. The best breakfast ever!!!!! Glynis served us breakfast casserole, grits, homemade Cinnamon rolls, and fresh fruit with coffee and juice. David brought back to San Juan and he drove us right up to our door. woohoo we did not have to walk up the volcano.

Tomorrow is Friday and we will only have 2 hours of class and then Penny and Keith Stamps will pick all 10 of us up and take us to the capital for our Christmas meal with all the other missionaries in Guatemala. It will be fun and we will see the people we had Thanksgiving with. After lunch the Journey folks will leave for Panajachel to help with a youth retreat on Saturday and Sunday. Rocky and I are planning to stay in the city with Carol, a missionary that live there. we will just hang out and maybe go to the store that is like Walmart and on Sunday we will go to church with carol and she will bring us back to San Juan in the afternoon.

I want to announce the birth of our 5th grandchild. She was born on December 11, 2009 and we are still waiting to hear what her name is but I just know it will suit her just find. I am amazed of how my Father has sustained me through the time of being in another country during this precious time in our son’s life. He is so faithful and He just keeps on showing me His faithfulness.
We are down to three more weeks of language classes and Rocky and I are so ready to get to Ecuador. It has been a good experience in San Juan but we are ready to have our own home again. One room can get pretty small sometime.

Rocky and I have been having some funny language conversations this week. In a group with teachers and my peers I was telling in spanish about taking the baby goats to work at salon and how the clients enjoyed sitting in the dryers while holding goats wrapped in baby blanket. The teachers understood what I was saying but one of the journey men thought I was saying that I used goat hair to make wigs for clients.
Other mishap was when Rocky and I were shopping at market for a movie named “Old Dogs” and we got got home with a movie named “Wild Hogs” That was so funny to me when we used the translator to see what we actually had. We watched the movie because it was about old folks on Motorbikes but was not a good movie. It did make us laugh a lot. Was needed!
On Friday I did my presentation of the Christmas story and it went pretty well. Really want to tell the story more clearly. It will come in time POCO a POCO. Rocky was in my group also and he presented Ephesians 2: 1-10 and he did a great job also. Landon was in our group also and he presented John 13: 1-17. I thought all of those worked together well for presenting the gospel to our teachers.
JESUS
FREE GIFT
SERVING OTHERS

Devil pinatas

There were so many devil pinatas all over the city for tomorrow is the day of burning the devil. More on this later.

We had lunch at Chilis

We just have one more day of language this week and as usual I am glad. Tonight I had to learn the Prodigal Son in Spanish and tomorrow I will have to explain it and then answer questions that the teachers will ask. It will be in a group with Rocky and Landon and their teachers. Rocky is learning the story of the rich young ruler and Landon Daniel in the Lions den.
On Saturday morning our supervisor from Guatemala City came and picked up Rachel, Angela, Audra, and me and took us to the city for the weekend and it was wonderful to get away. Yes I left Rocky in San Juan by himself. We got to take our dirty laundry and use Sandy’s washer and dryer. It was the best shower and inside of the house. We had a great time just chilling and eating good food. It was great to have access to a kitchen. I MISS HAVING A KITCHEN. We just have 4 more weeks of Language and then on to Ecuador. And a kitchen!! I had a wonderful time in the city. We were just restful mostly.

Thanksgiving in Guatemala

People waiting for a chicken bus

A town on Lake Atitlan

Lake Aitilan

US!

Lake with volcano in background

Pana house where we stayed.

Another volcano

Last town before we got to the lake.

Waiting for our precious drivers to arrive for us.


We had a wonderful time in Panajachel on Lake Aitilan for Thanksgiving. Keith and Penny went into Guate.City to get second car and came to San Juan to pick all of us up and drove us there. We got to meet really great people that serve in Guatemala. We will get to spend more time with them on the 18th for a Christmas party.

It was very different to be in another country for Thanksgiving and we missed our family. But we know we are where we are supposed to be. Today was good for I visited with Joy on facebook this morning and just got through visiting with Kevin on Skype.....I love skype. Rocky and I bought a thumb drive that we can use for Internet at home and I am so excited to not have to pack this heavy computer to Antigua any more. Thank you Lord!!!

There was a tremor while we were at the lake and that was the first one I have experienced. It was an earthquake by El Salvador.

Tomorrow is back to class.

We are sitting at McDonalds waiting for Cory to get here so Rocky can help him access his accounts on line but he better hurry for we have homework to do.
We took the coffee back and of course they said it is not automatic you have to plug and unplug it. It is not Texas down here.So now we have no pot because that one will burn your house down.

I have wanted to continue with going green in Guatemala…..Things that we used to just pitch in the trash we treasure now. Just this morning we went to McDonalds for breakfast, coffee and internet. When we finished our meal we saved our plastic fork and knife and also we saved our coffee cups and brought it all to our home for later use. And we have already used most of it. When we take off our shirts we give them the good old smell test and usually we say sure we can get another days wear. Without washer or dryer things are different but not so bad as long as we do not sit too close to others. We went shopping for a coffee pot and bought a plastic percolator and I was so excited that I would have coffee when I wanted it, but it has to be taken back to store because it got so hot that it started melting the bottom. We went to the Mercado to shop for fruits and vegetables and that was fun but a lot of work getting things back to the house via bus and then walking up the steep hills. I was pooped out when we got home.

This and That

Coffee farm

Birthday Treat

What a great treat to for Grandpop from Caleb and Savannah for his birthday.And I just love artwork from all of our grandkids. Joy scanned the pictures and sent them and we saved the pictures to a stick and had them printed. Thanks Kiddos!!!

View from road and we will be spending Thansgiving below the volcanoe that you can see in the distance.

We stopped for coffee and pie here on our way home from church.The sun was going down and it was getting pretty cold.

The little children at the church

The church

In San Juan while waiting for our ride.

November 9,
Today was a rough day for me, homework last night took me about 4 hours and I was extra tired and emotional today. There is nowhere to be alone so this afternoon after another 3 hours of homework I lost it and went to the outdoor potty and cried out to God to help me. And He did!!! He is faithful!!!! When I got myself together or as much as I am ever together and I thought I would just sit at the table and write in word to post later when I travel to internet. I got my computer booted up and the little computer on tool bar said there was internet available. That is incredible because we have traveled far and wide for internet since we have been in San Juan del Obispo. Of course it did not last long but it lasted till I was able to check gmail and read a letter from Kevin and see a note from Joy on facebook.WOW! God is good. Thank you Father for the encouragement.
, “May the God of all grace, . . . after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10). I just got through reading all of the 5th chapter and as Elbert would say “It is Rich”
I wrote this the first of last week and I think I was struggling with not being able to even send Joy a birthday card through the mail but, as usual the tough time passed and I survived. It is Saturday evening and we have had a good day. We did not get out of bed till close to 7:30 and it felt good to just keep lying between the covers. We had a leisurely breakfast of beans, cream cheese, eggs cooked with tomatoes and coffee. We practiced some language with Vinicio, the man of our home. Rocky and I took off to Antigua about 9:30 and went to coffee shop with fast internet, YES WE CARRIED OUR COMPUTERS ON OUR BACKS, but was worth it because we got to skype with Joy and that was the best!!! We took a walk down to a plaza where there was a fundraiser for the poor kids of San Antonio we bought a little plant and listened to the music some. It was Andean music. They were cooking hamburgers and they looked good but we decided to go to Pizza Mia and it was good and then we headed back to San Juan and the bus was so full that you not think that another person could get on but they do and more.
I got to practice Spanish on both of our bus rides today with ladies. We took a nap and then I started putting color on my hair and rocky said he would help. He did a wonderful job. My hair feels so good. Nothing like fresh color. I will stop for now. Supper is ready.
November 15
It is Monday again and I do not know why Mondays are so hard for me, but they are. I am glad to be through with the homework for the day. I also did some laundry in the la pila and it is hanging on the clothes line.
We had a wonderful time with Keith and Penny Stamp yesterday. We went to church in a village about 2 hours away with an indigenous group and it was wonderful. Very humbling to worship with a people group with so little and yet so rich!!
The landscape is so magnificent; we started at 5ooo ft elevation and went up to 8500 ft. The views across the mountains and volcanoes are so beautiful and breathtaking.
This is the beginning of our 6 week of language school and Rocky and I are both ready to be through. Only 6 more left after this one.

This and That

The church that we attended on Sunday.

Our group waiting for a ride to church.

Rocky and I on the steps of Iglesia.

How many missionaries can you get in one car? This plus 3.

Giant bougenvilla.


WE are back from internet and it was so slow that we could not even use our packet8 phone. I did get to chat with Joy on Facebook and it was a wonderful treat. I miss our long phone calls on Monday mornings. Again one day in the future.
We just got through with lunch and it was delicious. We had a piece of steak, macaroni and cheese, guatemole, and tortillas. Also soda, maybe Pepsi. I washed our socks and underwear and two of my shirts in the pilo also. They are hanging all over our room now as to dry I hope. Some of the things I washed last time soured before they dried. I should be doing language homework but I just can’t seem to make myself do it. Rocky got all of his done earlier. I walked up the hill to Angela’s and borrowed a couple of movies and we plan to watch a movie on the computer tonight.
It is Sunday evening and it is raining. I just went to the shower and as soon as I got undressed and about to get wet the lights went off and it was dark in the shower and also no hot water without electricity. Rocky brought me a flashlight and I just got out and back to the room when the lights came back on. I will just sleep dirty tonight.
We had a awesome day today. An IMB couple that live in Antigua came to San Juan and picked 9 of us up (That was all that would fit in their car) and took us to a Baptist church in Guatemala City and then back to their home and it was like an American home and we had great food and fellowship until about 5:00 pm and then Keith brought half of us back to San Juan and was going to bring the other half on a second trip . Parker and Rachel went off on their own this morning and Keith took all of us by their house so he would have room for Rachel and Parker at noon and he picked them up at the square. So all 11 of us were treated to a wonderful meal and a great afternoon. I think that we all were in need of the outing. Thank Lord!!
We were having a good laugh at how many missionaries can get in one car. Keith and Penny are going to make sure that we all get to Panajachel for Thanksgiving. The co. has a large place there that will accommodate all of us and it has a large kitchen. We may go down and come back on Thursday or maybe go down and come back on Friday. It is a 2 hour trip. A very beautiful place with wonderful and volcanoes.
Rocky and I watched “Lean on Me” last night and it was good.

Little beggars trying to sale us stuff. They sure do have a line.

Enjoying good chocolate ice cream at POP"S.

Enjoying great food!!!

Eleven people in the small van.

WOOHOO! Tomorrow is Friday. Today went to a town called Pastores to visit a boot making factory. It was an interesting outing. We rode in a little van to Antigua, there were eleven of us in the small van. In Antigua we got a bus to Pastores . Rocky bought a belt (cincha). We then got a bus back to Antigua, the bus had seen its best days already. One of our group began to sing “In the Ghetto”. When we got back to Antigua we all went different ways. Rocky and I went to McDonalds to restroom (the cleanest in Guatemala) Got a coffee and checked email on their computer and there was a voice mail from Joy but we had no speakers to hear it.(CULTURAL SHOCK) Tomorrow I will have to get to a internet to hear from her.
On our way home from Antigua via bus I was thinking about how much I am enjoying Guatemala and I really enjoy the buses. You never know how many people will be in a seat built for two or how fast you will go and they go pretty fast between speed bumps which are everywhere. A totally new experience for me to do public transportation. It’s not bad.
While in Antigua Rocky and I went into the market again today only second time to enter. First time we ask a police officer where to buy a light bulb and he took us into the market. It reminds me of kind of being underground while in there. Like a maze. But you can find anything you could want there. I just would not want the light to go off while I was there.
Language is progressing and we change teachers on Monday. I really like my teacher now but hope new teacher does not give me so much homework.
It has been raining a lot and it is cool. Someone said something about a hurricane that might come to Guatemala but we have not had any news while here. I do not look at news on pay internet!
More Later.

WOOHOO! It is Saturday morning and we plan to rest all day. We just got through with our breakfast, a ham and cheese sandwich with ketchup. We get that often for breakfast. For those that know me very well know I do not do Ketchup at all but you would be proud that I eat what is set before me but not always with right heart. Working on that. Will go to internet in San Juan in a bit to update blog and try to connect with Joy and Kevin. Missing them much!!!!!!!
Last night we went to Antigua to celebrate Rachel’s birthday and we really enjoyed ourselves. The food was wonderful. A little taste of Texas.YUMMMMMM! I had nachos and they were delicious. Rocky got a glass of tea just like he likes it, been hard here to get tea without anything else in it,JUST TEA. There was live music and it was good.” Guatemalan” The restaurant is owned part by an American couple from Nashville. They do fundraisers for a group of children to go to school that would otherwise not get go.
It is raining and it has rained for about a week almost nonstop. Preparing us for Ecuador. Will go and get ready to go to internet and post.
I have a few moments so I want to write about a couple of things. First Rocky and I do not throw away things like in Texas. The other day Rocky had an ice cream in a cup at McDonalds and I actually b rought the plastic spoon home with us for later use. Also we have a Ziploc bag and Rocky washed it out and dried it for later use. We have gone “green” in Guatemala. Another thing is this little pickup that drives up and down the streets with a loud speaker advertising “Z GAS” we always mock the way it sounds. People use the little 5 gallon propane takes to cook with and he delivers to your door. Maybe one day we will record the sound and post it.
Just tried Packet 8 phone but not work!!!!!!!

Mi amigos on Saturday morning.

This was Sunday and the holiday that was celebrated.

I am sitting on the foot of the bed with my sweater on and a blanket on my feet. It is pouring rain outside and since the potty is outside I had to use my umbrella to get there. Cultural shock tonight!! I would love a cup of something hot, but thank God we do have access to pure water. I am missing having a kitchen. Just 9 more weeks and then we will be in Ecuador. That makes me remember what J. Elliot once said “Be all where you are.”
Rocky and I went on an adventure this morning so we rode the bus to Antigua and walked to Mc Donald’s to use the bathroom and then we got a tuk tuk taxi to a Baptist church in another town and Rocky just ask the driver if he knew where the Baptist church was and he said yes so off we went and he stopped out front of the church and it cost 15 quetzals ( maybe $1.20) We had a great time and we got to here hymns even if they were in Spanish it was good and one of the benefits of being Baptist is they had a meal that we were invited to after service. It was their 17 year anniversary. We eat with a young man that had worked in Houston 7 years so we were able to communicate.
Today was a celebration and everyone went to the cemeteries to clean and they planted flowers and put cut flowers on the graves of their deceased family members. There were lots of food venders and music and it was a day to fly kites.
After church we caught the bus back to Antigua and picked up a few things at super Mercado before catching bus back to San Juan del Obispo. We rested a short time and then we went to the cemetery to see all of the festivities and walked back to church plaza to sit and enjoy the beauty of this place. At 4:00 we walked back to our home to get on our homework. It is finished.YEA!
Ok I guess I will go out in the rain and get a shower and Thank God it is Hot.

More Guatemala

The washing machine, vanity, sink for dishes.

The clothes dryer.

Excited to go to Antigua after school all week.

Fabio on left is our family and Dianna and Christian is his friends.

Rocky on school steps.

Here I am at the end of another day in Guatemala and it was a good day. We all are really tired this week and it is a good thing that tomorrow is Friday. David is not feeling to good, he said his throat hurts and I think he might have a fever also. We ask Jesus to make him better. Language is hard when you feel good! We have one more week with the teacher we have now and then we will be changed. I am not looking forward to the change. I really like my teacher even if she does give lots of homework.
For supper tonight we had pasta with alfredo sauce, bread and a cookie. For lunch today we had fried chicken, fried potatoes, and cucumbers with sliced tomatoes and Pepsi.
The weather here is great, it is cool at night and warm during the day. No need for heat or air. My feet are a little cool right now but it is 8:30 in the evening. I guess I better go on outside and get a shower before it gets to late.

Here I am at the end of week three in Guatemala and I am so glad to not have language class for two days!! Rocky and I went to Antigua this afternoon and went to McDonalds. We got a coffee and used the free wireless there, but my computer was acting up and I never did connect but Rocky did and we checked email. I did not post because of computer. We went to town today instead of tomorrow because there is a going to be a big fiesta on Sunday and it will be busy. This way we can stay in San Juan del Obispo and rest. We purchased bananas and peanut butter for to snack on. We have been buying pan tostadas (sugar cookie)just not as sweet but very good dunked in coffee. We get these on the way to school and they are 3 for 1 quetale==about .13 cents for 3 cookies.
We got our camera charger today and we were so glad. So we are back in the picture business.
I am beginning to really not care for goodbyes, it seems like we meet and bond and then have to say so long. Today our group said goodbye to Kevin a young man that we had only known 2 weeks. He is a really neat young man and we are better for having known Kevin.
David was better today but Audra was not feeling well. I would ask for prayers for the group to stay well. This is an amazing place so very beautiful with all of the volcano and flowers and fruit trees everywhere. The people are so quiet and humble. More later.
WOO HOO! It Saturday morning and I just finished doing our laundry in the el pilo .Hope to post photo.

Guatemala

La Casa

San Juan del Obispo, Guatemala
Hello from Guatemala and It has been to long since I have written. There are so many different smells, sounds, and sights that are new to me. I guess I will start with the first day in another country for me.
We arrived at noon on a Thursday and we were picked up at airport by Guatemala supervisor and 2 hired vans we were off to San Juan del Obispo. Lots of traffic and up and around mountains with windows open. It took about 45 min. to get to APPE language school where we were unloaded with all of our many suitcases. We waited there to meet our host family (the family we will be living with for 3 months) . Our lady of the house and their 10 year old son was there to greet Rocky and I and we got all of our many suitcases and headed out on foot up up up up to their house and I thought my lungs were going to burst and it took about forever to get to the house but we made it. The elevation here is about 5000 ft so that could have had a lot to do with no air to breathe and it still takes its toll on me and I am doing it every day sometimes more than once but I have learned not to have anything to tote because each little pound gets hard to get up the street to the house. I was always carrying my laptop in my backpack so I could use the internet but it is to heavy. That brings me to cultural shock! That would be that internet is not handy at all. Rocky and I have to go to a pay internet place here in San Juan or if we want to use it free we have to take our laptops on a hairy bus ride to Antigua and once we get to Antigua we get off bus and continue on foot for a ways. There are some restaurants that if you buy something you can use their wireless for free but not very fast BUT better than nothing and there are internet stores where you pay and can use wireless or use their computers. And when I really need a word from afar whatever is worth it. We found out last Friday that McDonalds has free wireless and they also have Frappe coffees (pretty close to Satrbucks)
Rocky and I live with a very nice family. Their names are Vinicio, Olga and Fabio. Vinicio is a teacher at our language school so at breakfast and lunch he gives us help with some language. We are served breakfast, lunch, and supper Monday –Saturday and on Sunday we are on our own. Olga is a very good cook and we enjoy but we eat a whole lot of carbs. We are missing our fruits and vegetables and salads. It is just till January that we will be in our own home and we can eat better then. I also bought a bottle of bleach today and will begin to buy some fruits and clean them by soaking them in bleach water.
Rocky and I have a small room with full size bed, wardrobe, table, a plastic chair and a cloth chair. When we got home from the beach the family had put some metal shelves in our room and I was glad for the storage. Olga had washed our sheets and made our bed while we were gone. Washing is not an easy thing either. There is a big cement thing called la pila with running water in the middle sink and on the left side is a sink with bumps to rub your clothes back and forth on and on the right side is a sink that you can wash your dishes in. You just dip out of the middle sink and pour over clothes or dishes which ever you are washing at the time. I have washed some clothes twice like that and it is not so easy. I am thankful that I will have a washing machine and dryer in Ecuador. We share the bath with the family and there is another language student living with our family. Her name is Caroline and she is from Norway. She is a medical student and is here volunteering at a hospital for children. The bath is across the porch and down the steps. One door leads to the potty and the other door is the shower and we are so blessed to have a hot shower. It has what is called a widow maker shower head that is electric and it heats the water as it flows through the head. You are not to reach up and touch…….water and electric…….do not mix well.
The streets here are made of dirt or cobblestone. The people love boombas or what we call fireworks but with a lot more kick and noise. They go off all of the time! This morning at about 4:00am when it was pouring rain there were boombas going off. The people love their music also.
Riding the bus is something new for us and it is a exciting way to get where you need to go as long as you can just chill.

Back in Texas

We are back in Texas! we got here about 8:00 pm which was a couple of hours late. Rocky's guitar got all banged up so we were at airport till 9:30. Glad that we are not flying AA out of country. Friday we slept in and had breakfast with Rocky's dad. We then went to Ector county Court house to get a copy of our Marriage lic. to send to secretary of state to have something done to it for our visa and took it to post office and expressed mailed it with prepaid return. we then treated ourselves to Taco Villa! Yummmm! Had supper with Rocky's Dad.

Today, Saturday we began working on packing for South America and then we went to Midland to look for me a rain suit but with no luck. We still might look at walmart in sports department. Went to Kohls and I found me a sweater to wear as a cover up. And guess where we had lunch. TACO VILLA! Yummmmmm! Washed a couple of loads of clothes at Papa's and Nan's. Nan and I went to Jenifer's baby shower and we got back about 4:30.

I think Rocky and I are going to have a cheese sandwich for supper. Church tomorrow and a nap. Rocky has a Dr. Appointment on Monday and we plan to drive to Haskell to see Rocky's mom on Tuesday and drive on in to Brownwood that afternoon.